The 15 Best Plants for Your Bathroom
When decorating the bathroom in your apartment, you can think of towels, baskets and other knick-knacks for your shelves. But what about houseplants? Depending on your bathroom conditions, you can add a tropical plant or two to thrive in your bathroom humidity.
Due to their hazy and humid original habitat, some plants do better in the shower than others, thanks to high humidity. Best of all, humidity helps deter pests like spider mites, so your plant can grow a little happier.
Read on to learn more about the 15 best plants for a bathroom.
1. Begonia Maculata
With peas of varying sizes and their gorgeous brown leaf backs, begonias thrive in very humid and hot bathrooms. Low humidity, for example, can lead to crispy leaf tips. They require medium to bright indirect light (meaning no direct sunlight should hit the leaves), so place them near a window or skylight.
They look great on a shelf above the toilet. Begonia’s foliage is shiny, so choose a solid colored pot like terracotta with a thick, quick-draining mixture to make the leaves stand out.
They grow quickly, so be sure to use the top shelf.
2. Pothos
Pothos are at the top of the easiest plants to care for – perhaps not hard to kill, but certainly in the spectrum of beginner houseplants. Due to their flexibility with lighting and humidity levels, they are one of the best plants for your bathroom.
Pothos love everything from low to bright indirect light, and they love to dry out between waterings, making them a great candidate for tall shelves. Pothos is available in various beautiful designs and colors – neon green, yellow and white variegation, dark green and others.
These plants love to hang out, so a hanging basket by the shower or over the toilet will provide much-needed drama.
3. Dragon Tree
A dragon tree can become the perfect companion for those who proclaim themselves to “not plant people”. This houseplant thrives on neglect as it likes to dry out between waterings.
He likes high humidity and low to medium indirect light, so pick a good spot for this remarkable plant. Dragon trees can grow up to six feet indoors, so think about it when you find a nook for it in your bathroom.
If you have pets we do not recommend this plant as it lives on the ground and is toxic to cats and dogs.
4. Peace read
Native to Central America, the peace lily likes high humidity environments like your steamy bathroom. Its white flowers appear several times a year, adding to its appeal as a bathroom decor.
The peace lily will flourish in a bathroom with a mix of shade and indirect partial light – think diffused light in the morning and shade in the afternoon. They don’t like direct light, so keep that in mind.
She will grow tall, up to three feet tall, if she is happy in your bathroom. Add a peace lily to a shelf near or to the rim of your tub. Keep an eye on the soil and water it only when it is dry.
5. Bird’s nest fern
Ferns tend to like extra moisture and humidity. You will often see them having crisp, dry ends when they aren’t getting enough. Native to Southeast Asia, the bird’s nest fern is no different. The bird’s nest fern is one of the easiest ferns to keep indoors.
They like moderate indirect light, look great in a hanging basket, and its large leaves give your bathroom an instant tropical feel. You can even hang them right in your shower because they love to get soaked.
Make sure to use a well-drained, thick mixture in its pot.
6. Tradescantia Zebrina
Typically apartments have a standard beige on the bathroom walls and it is difficult to decorate around, especially if your landlord will not let you paint. Use plants to add color to your bathroom, such as Tradescantia Zebrina in purple hues.
Tradescantia Zebrina is a fast growing plant that likes to hang out and grow in environments with high humidity and bright indirect light. This plant often suffers from dried leaves due to low humidity, making it a great option for a hanging bathroom plant. Add it to a hanging basket and watch it descend in all directions.
Keep its soil moist and not waterlogged at all times.
7. Calathea ‘Freddie’
Calatheas get a bad rap because they are considered one of the toughest houseplants. They are picky about the moisture in their soil, the amount of light and, yes, even the humidity.
As they grow in the middle of the tropical forests of South America, they need a lot of humidity. Some Calathea are more tolerant of low light than others, such as Calathea “Freddie”.
Its darker foliage allows it to sit further away from your bathroom window. Its simple pattern with two green leaves will make you fall in love with it and its new rolled up leaves.
Remember – humidity, humidity, humidity and it will stay happy in your bathroom.
8. Spider plant
Look at every list of beginner houseplants, spider plants are always near the top every time. This is because they can thrive almost anywhere. They can live in your bathroom in a place that receives bright indirect light or in a dimly lit place, and they love humidity.
The drama of a spider plant is best enjoyed on a hanging basket as it cascades down. If he gives you some crispy advice, don’t panic. It just needs a little more humidity, so make sure to keep it moist.
Finally, give birth to spider plants by multiplying cuttings to grow even more plants.
9. Aglaonema
Also known as “Chinese evergreen,” Aglaonemas come in many designs and colors, so there’s one for every decor preference. If you want understated, “Silver Bay” is a good option or if you want more drama, choose one of the many pink and red varieties.
They work well in low light conditions but prefer bright indirect light and high humidity levels, so place them in your bathroom window sill, if possible.
These plants are incredibly forgiving because they don’t mind if you forget to water them, just keep them away from your bathroom ventilation, and they’ll be fine.
10. Philodendron Heartleaf
The Heartleaf philodendron, native to Central and South America, thrives in tropical conditions. He likes high humidity and bright indirect light, so he does not get leggy.
Add your pot to a hanging basket as the stems can grow long – up to 20 feet long. You can always cut them and put them back in the pot to make it look more bushy.
Make sure the hanging basket is not touched by the shower water, as Philodendrons like to stay on the dry side a bit, and if they stay wet for too long, they will start dropping leaves.
11. Cast iron plant
As tough as your cast iron skillet, the cast iron plant requires as little maintenance as possible. This plant will tolerate almost full shade (emphasis on almost). Look at the leaves to find out how shade tolerant they are – more variegation on the leaves means more light.
Native to Japan and Taiwan, this plant can grow up to three feet tall and loves humidity, making it a great addition to your bathroom.
Best of all, it’s not toxic to dogs or cats.
12. Butterfly orchid
Orchids are difficult to care for, but among all of them, the butterfly orchid does very well indoors. With high humidity requirements, it is perfect for your bathroom.
The only thing to keep in mind is that this beauty needs a lot of indirect light. So if you can have it near a bright window, planted in a mix of orchids, it will thrive in your bathroom.
Orchids grow tall, so be sure to prick the stems as they grow.
13. Aerial plants
Although succulents are not suitable for bathrooms, air plants absorb water from the air, making them a great choice for your bathroom. Native to tropical climates, these air plants love humidity because they absorb moisture through their leaves.
You can add them to baskets, small glass globes and hanging structures for a unique look in your bathroom.
Just make sure to stay on top of the humidity and spray them every now and then.
14. Asparagus fern
So light and fluffy, Asparagus Fern is the perfect tropical addition to your bathroom. It likes high humidity and thrives in moderate to bright indirect light.
It is poisonous to pets, so be sure to place it high or on a window sill out of their reach. You also want to let the fern dry out between waterings.
This plant also helps keep the air inside your apartment clean, so you get beautiful plant decor and cleaner air for the price of one.
15. Snake plant
Snake plants thrive in low light conditions – not without light, but in bright conditions. They like to dry out the bones before watering them again.
If you have a small stool or shelf near your sink, a snake plant is a great addition. They come in many different sizes, from a few inches tall to several feet tall, so it’s a great soil statement plant.
They love humidity, but make sure the shower doesn’t splash the plant.
Make your bathroom a jungle
Just like the rest of your apartment, choosing the right plants for your bathroom is important to help them thrive. For example, a bird’s nest fern versus a succulent that can rot in your bathroom in low light and high humidity.
Watch the light throughout the day and see where you want to add houseplants, keeping in mind if you have pets as well.
